New Technology - Just ask "Echo"

RinaRina · ‎03-13-2010

Hi technies!! I just saw something amazing on AMAZON ...

If you want to see it, just go to amazon dot com forward slash echo. Wink

I remember reading an article about stuff like this 20 years ago, and I thought, "no-way, impossible!"

Ladies, the future is here NOW!

"The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become."

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

It is pretty neat isn't it? I've signed up to see if I win the lottery to buy one. I'm not sure I'd get one, but for $99 (I have Amazon Prime) it's a pretty neat little gadget. I've got a birthday coming up this month and it would be a neat present for myself. I love the idea of being able to listen to all of my music (now stored on Amazon's cloud) simply by telling Alexa to play it. They say there's also a remote control they don't show for controlling the volume. I'm kind of hoping you can just tell Alexa to raise the volume too. The potential for Alexa to evolve is pretty neat too. It should be pretty easy to incorporate a program guide for TV into it. Just ask: "Alexa, what's on HGTV?" and have Alexa read off the listings. The potential for that little device is pretty much endless. I'm very intrigued by it. It should be pretty easy for seniors to use also. My 87 year old mother is hopeless on a technological level, but simply telling Alexa to play her favorite singer should be within her capabilities. It could be a revolutionary device.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

Nuttmeg · ‎03-09-2010

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkOCeAtKHIc

Amazon has been offering Prime customers some interesting products lately.

kzjohnson · ‎12-15-2011

I signed up as well. I thought about it for a minute and realized that if it works as advertized that is one neat little device. If I win the lottery, the old Aiwa stereo system is being "terminated" and the Echo with have a nice home in its place!

Good luck to whomever signed up for the lottery.

Mayfayre · ‎10-16-2013

I signed up for the invitation; don't know if I really want it for myself or if I would give it as a gift. I'm the kind of person who disables the microphone and camera on her computers, so I'm slightly leery about something with a live mic on all the time - even if it supposedly isn't listening to noises other that it's "name".

But I'm a sucker for new tech.... ${#emotions_dlg.tt1}$

Nuttmeg · ‎03-09-2010

On 11/6/2014 Mayfayre said:
I signed up for the invitation; don't know if I really want it for myself or if I would give it as a gift. I'm the kind of person who disables the microphone and camera on her computers, so I'm slightly leery about something with a live mic on all the time - even if it supposedly isn't listening to noises other that it's "name".

But I'm a sucker for new tech.... ${#emotions_dlg.tt1}$

I may buy for $99.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

I suspect we'll see this refined even more in the future to include video capabilities though it may be able to be tied into the Amazon's Fire TV now. It's pretty similar to the capabilities of the X-Box One Kinect, only without the cameras and motion detectors. It's a purely voice based system which is probably better, though in a family setting you could drive poor Alexa crazy with two (or more) competing commands coming in. I'm kind of intrigued if the Alexa/Echo remote might also be able to be used by Alexa/Echo to operate RF controlled devices. If you keep the remote pointed at your TV and Alexa/Echo knows the make of your TV Alexa/Echo might be able to use the RF signal from the remote to turn the TV on and off, change channels, mute the TV, etc. on command. That could be a neat add-on feature that might even be ready on release. The potential of this little cylinder is pretty much limitless. It's a neat little device.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

mima · ‎03-14-2010

I want this too! Looks fun.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

I hope they make it available pretty soon. I keep checking my e-mail hoping to get an invite to buy it. I set aside some money this year for Black Friday to buy myself something, but if Echo becomes available that money will go to Echo instead. If I don't hear anything by Black Friday, Echo may have to wait until after the new year. I love the concept of it though. I hope they make it available sooner rather than later.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!